Barker vs Sturm: December 7 in Germany

[expe]

Anyone know what would the options be if it was a Draw? Not out of the ordinary to expect that!

If Sturm wins, he could drop the belt and not come to london and go for another world title. Barkers career would be in tatters.

Barker and nice guy eddie think its a great deal, but ze Germans aren't daft!

That's what seems likely to me, Barker gets robbed, Sturm vacates, leaving Barker at the back of the queue, and goes to fight for another belt. The IBF won't give Barker an immediate shot at a vacant title unless he's completely robbed.

[mickey1975]

after hearing years of excuses why we weren't seeing the big domestic clashes, we were supposed to be waiting on one of barker/murray/macklin winning a world title, then the domestic match ups would be made......

now barker gets a title and we're looking at 2 potential fights with sturm, who has lost his last 2 and was lucky not to lose to macklin and murray before that and a rematch with geale before any chance of the domestic rivals getting it on for the title.

this stinks. these are fights we want to see and have done for some time, they are fights that would make reasonable money against guys who have fought at this level themselves.

these are the fights that should have been made before any other.

cant blame barker for looking to earn . he came up the hard way, paid his dues, and got nothing put on a plate for him. had a lot of injuries and is gettin on a bit, so dont grudge him an opportunity to put some cash in the bank. if he gets through the sturm fight commitments he will be free to fight the domestic opposition, but i would rather see him avenge his loss against martinez, or go up against ggg. they are all potentially good fights.

Came up the hard way? Its hardly been a Steve Robinson story, has it. Won Commonwealth gold, turned pro, on telly his whole career, go a vacan Euro shot, got injured and had to give it up, got another vacant Euro shot, got a World title shot, got beat by a dodgy punch, beat a couple of average opponents got a winnable world title shot.

[crusader]

Also, I don't think Sturm lot to either Geale or Soliman

Same here. I had Sturm winning both by one point IIRC.

I also thought he edged Murray.

[Tom Ford]

I like Barker but this better not be PPV.

[baron_otto]

I think with Barker stops Sturm or gets beaten on points. Sturm on points the most likely for me - it will be close but sturm will be given an extra couple of rounds.

[thepocketrocket]

Also, I don't think Sturm lot to either Geale or Soliman

Same here. I had Sturm winning both by one point IIRC.

I also thought he edged Murray.

Yeah, this idea that the shaft is defo in has no basis in fact....

[DMA1987]

So how can the Germans offer so much more? Is it ppv over there? They wont fight anywhere bigger than The O2 and Sky surely have the budget for a big homecoming without ppv. They cant spend everything on Football.

If Sky suddenly decided to shell out the money for this fight then they would be making a rod for their own backs wouldn't they. Would end the PPV model they are trying to grow again.

Sturm is a massive draw over there, and it appears to be for a huge amount of money, Barker is clearly about the money now, so this move makes perfect sense, even with the German judging reputation.

[lefty]

So how can the Germans offer so much more? Is it ppv over there? They wont fight anywhere bigger than The O2 and Sky surely have the budget for a big homecoming without ppv. They cant spend everything on Football.

If Sky suddenly decided to shell out the money for this fight then they would be making a rod for their own backs wouldn't they. Would end the PPV model they are trying to grow again.

Sturm is a massive draw over there, and it appears to be for a huge amount of money, Barker is clearly about the money now, so this move makes perfect sense, even with the German judging reputation.

Yeah, according to Fast car, the broadcasters behind Sturm have very big pockets when it comes to boxing and Sturm fights.

[expe]

So how can the Germans offer so much more? Is it ppv over there? They wont fight anywhere bigger than The O2 and Sky surely have the budget for a big homecoming without ppv. They cant spend everything on Football.

Barker wouldn't come close to filling the O2, whereas Sturm will pack them in Stuttgart, throw in his TV deal and being self promoted mean they can outbid Sky.

[danamba7]

So how can the Germans offer so much more? Is it ppv over there? They wont fight anywhere bigger than The O2 and Sky surely have the budget for a big homecoming without ppv. They cant spend everything on Football.

Barker wouldn't come close to filling the O2, whereas Sturm will pack them in Stuttgart, throw in his TV deal and being self promoted mean they can outbid Sky.

I agree with you. Strange though that he is so well supported. Average champion really and I wouldn't call him boring but he's definitely not the most exciting either!

[DMA1987]

So how can the Germans offer so much more? Is it ppv over there? They wont fight anywhere bigger than The O2 and Sky surely have the budget for a big homecoming without ppv. They cant spend everything on Football.

If Sky suddenly decided to shell out the money for this fight then they would be making a rod for their own backs wouldn't they. Would end the PPV model they are trying to grow again.

Sturm is a massive draw over there, and it appears to be for a huge amount of money, Barker is clearly about the money now, so this move makes perfect sense, even with the German judging reputation.

Yeah, according to Fast car, the broadcasters behind Sturm have very big pockets when it comes to boxing and Sturm fights.

Aye, I have no problem with it to be honest, they aren't trying to hide the fact that its about money more than the results which I'm cool. I am interested as I don't know this and maybe you do - if there is a rematch clause, is it a rematch for the title, or a rematch that ties Sturm into fighting nobody but Barker next? If its the latter then it would sort out the vacating issue everybody is worried about.

[JimJim2009]

So how can the Germans offer so much more? Is it ppv over there? They wont fight anywhere bigger than The O2 and Sky surely have the budget for a big homecoming without ppv. They cant spend everything on Football.

If Sky suddenly decided to shell out the money for this fight then they would be making a rod for their own backs wouldn't they. Would end the PPV model they are trying to grow again.

Sturm is a massive draw over there, and it appears to be for a huge amount of money, Barker is clearly about the money now, so this move makes perfect sense, even with the German judging reputation.

I think German TV pay far, far more than the UK broadcasters.

[DMA1987]

So how can the Germans offer so much more? Is it ppv over there? They wont fight anywhere bigger than The O2 and Sky surely have the budget for a big homecoming without ppv. They cant spend everything on Football.

If Sky suddenly decided to shell out the money for this fight then they would be making a rod for their own backs wouldn't they. Would end the PPV model they are trying to grow again.

Sturm is a massive draw over there, and it appears to be for a huge amount of money, Barker is clearly about the money now, so this move makes perfect sense, even with the German judging reputation.

I think German TV pay far, far more than the UK broadcasters.

No doubt.